Vernacular Architecture

High Life: Condo Living in the Suburban Century

by Matthew Lasner

Forthcoming from Yale University Press in 2012

Today, one in five homeowners in American cities and suburbs lives in a multifamily home rather than a single-family... more Today, one in five homeowners in American cities and suburbs lives in a multifamily home rather than a single-family dwelling. As the American dream evolves, precipitated by declining real estate prices and a renewed interest in city living, many predict that condos will become the predominant form of housing in the 21st century. In this unprecedented study Matthew Gordon Lasner explores the history of co-owned multifamily housing in the United States, from New York City's first co-op, in 1881, to contemporary condo and townhouse complexes coast to coast. Lasner explains the complicated social, economic, and political factors that have increased demand for this way of living, situating the trend within the larger housing market and broad shifts in residential architecture. He contrasts the prevalence and popularity of condos, townhouses, and other privately governed communities with their ambiguous economic, legal, and social standing, as well as their striking absence from urban and architectural history.

Palapa: historia de condena y refugio

by Adolfo Gomez Amador

La antigua provincia de Colima estableció tempranos vínculos con Filipinas, esta relación tuvo gran significado... more La antigua provincia de Colima estableció tempranos vínculos con Filipinas, esta relación tuvo gran significado durante el Virreinato y fue precisamente en el puerto de la Navidad donde se construyeron las naves de la expedición que logró la conquista de las Filipinas. El 21 de noviembre de 1564, zarpó la expedición que culminó con los esfuerzos de la Corona española -72 años- por establecer un dominio en Oriente y ser
parte activa del comercio en la región .

LOS TOQUIS, OR, URBAN BABEL

by natasa durovicova

In Linda Krause and Patrice Petro, editors:
Global Cities: Cinema, Architecture, and Urbanism in a Digital Age
(New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2003)

The city as the architectural and acoustic space of babel. The city as the architectural and acoustic space of babel.

An Interpretation of Spatial Characteristics of Bodrum Vernacular Architecture with a Comparison of Holiday Villas

by Nezih R. Aysel

Co-authored with G. Atay & E. P. Altınkaya. WOCMES World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies, Barcelona, 2010.

Património molinológico no Rio Sabor (Trás-os-Montes, Portugal). O moinho do Poço das Gralhas (Cardanha, Torre de Moncorvo)

by Lois Ladra

-ROLO, André; OLIVEIRA, Sara & LADRA, Lois (2012): "Património molinológico no Rio Sabor (Trás-os-Montes, Portugal). O moinho do Poço das Gralhas (Cardanha, Torre de Moncorvo)", VIII Congreso Internacional de Molinología (Tui, 28-30 Abril 2012). Pontevedra, ASGAMUI - ACEM.

Moinhos e moleiros no Rio Ocreza (Beira Baixa, Portugal): um estudo antropológico do património fluvial

by Lois Ladra

-LADRA, Lois (2012): "Moinhos e moleiros no Rio Ocreza: um estudo antropológico sobre o património fluvial", Actas do VIII Congreso Internacional de Molinología (Tui, 28-30 Abril 2012). Pontevedra, ASGAMUI - ACEM.

Las formas de vida y el confort, conceptos culturales de la calidad ambiental, y sus consecuencias en la tradición espacial del trópico subhúmedo

by Adolfo Gomez Amador

Energy Efficiency in Architectural Designs in the Indus Valley Civilization: Lessons learnt for new designing

by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Co-authored with Shreyas Panambur and Sat Ghosh

The Indus Valley civilization flourished between 2750-1900 B.C. We present a case study for Lothal, an extension of... more The Indus Valley civilization flourished between 2750-1900 B.C. We present a case study for Lothal, an extension of the Indus Valley civilization currently located in the state of Gujarat in India. Their double storied buildings were clustered around geometrical grids comprising of three divisions, including a citadel, a middle town and a lower town. An on-site visit revealed that the buildings were suitably oriented for maximum solar gains. The standardised stone blocks used had thermal transmissivities (“U” values in today’s architectural parlance) that retained indoor coolth substantially. The rectangular building forms ensured the presence of active and passive zones even then.

As Mechanical engineers, we have used Autodesk Ecotect Analysis to calculate Daylight Factors, Solar Radiation and Water Usage. We have explored quantitatively the fascinating world of light and shadows, coolth and warmth, and obtained answers for the following questions:

1. Were the orientation and the clustering perfect in the city of Lothal?

2. Can these architectural designs prevail with some modifications in today’s times?

After all, modernists believe that vernacular architecture can also be sustainable.

3. How feasible is it to use engineered eco-fabrics in modern settlements (keeping in mind the versatility of traditional fabrics)?

In this paper we shall present a prototype of a new proposed city called “The Sanctuary” housing 40,000 inhabitants (possibly the population in Lothal in 2500 B.C.). Our analysis shows how architectural structures adapt to driving rain, the ingress of winds and a glaring sun. Ecotect calculations elucidate contrasting patterns of energy use in residential areas of Lothal vis-à-vis the dwellings in The Sanctuary. To our knowledge, this is a first study exploring energy efficiency in Lothal.

Adecuación al medio ambiente de la arquitectura del siglo XVIII en la antigua provincia de Colima

by Armando Alántara Lomelí

Tesis Doctoral

Instalaciones de la tradición constructiva de Colima

by Adolfo Gomez Amador

Co-authored with Armando Alcántara Lomelí,. Published in Anuario de Estudios de Arquitectura UAM

Tradición Constructiva de Colima

by Adolfo Gomez Amador

Co-authored with Armando Alcántara Lomelí, published in Anuario de Estudios de Arquitectura; UAM

Arquitectura de Adobe Construida entre 1890 y 1940 en la Ciudad de Colima, Colima

by Adolfo Gomez Amador

The results of a research about the seismic performance of 30 adobe houses localized in Colima, Mexico, as consequence... more The results of a research about the seismic performance of 30 adobe houses localized in Colima, Mexico, as consequence of the earthquakes happened at January 21 and 22, 2003, is presented. All these buildings were built at the end of XIX century and the first decade of XX century, and they have resisted the most severe five earthquakes in the region, in the last hundred years.
The properties of buildings were classified in two categories: roof system and level of damage. The first category was studied with three variables: tiles roof, terrado roof (earth lay over a brick plate and wood beam) and reinforced concrete roof. The second category was studied with also three variables: without damage or slight damage; moderate damage and severe damage. The correlation study was made among the categories, its variables and the dimensional characteristics of buildings. The vulnerability level associated with roof system and the architectural morphology was established to determine the seismic resistant of buildings systems and of forms of architectural envelope.

Elementos para una caracterización de la arquitectura rural virreinal en la tradición constructiva de Colima

by Armando Alántara Lomelí

El Lenguage oral de la tradición construciva de Colima

by Armando Alántara Lomelí

Desempeño ambiental y habitabilidad de la palapa en el estado de Colima

by Armando Alántara Lomelí

Adecuación bioclimática de la vivienda tradicional de Ensenada, Baja Califirnia, México, 1882-1930. Un caso de estudio BC

by Armando Alántara Lomelí

Natura y Cultura. Habitabilidad de la arquitectura del México antiguo entre la selva tropical y el desierto

by Armando Alántara Lomelí

Tradición Constructiva de Colima

by Armando Alántara Lomelí

La ventana en la tradición constructiva del tropico subhúmedo

by Armando Alántara Lomelí

Las instalaciones en la tradición constructiva rural de Colima

by Armando Alántara Lomelí